A Different Time and Place
by Queen Of Gabb 488
Summary: AU- Prue was saved by Andy during the attack by Shax. A short series of events that have taken place since then, and how Prue's survival has changed what had taken place after her death.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is an alternate universe, I'm going to shift things that originally occurred during the series and I hope you like it. It's just going to be a series of short moments in a changed future than what occurred at the end of the third season.

* * *

It was two o'clock in the morning and Prue was struggling to sleep when she was woken by cries. Pushing back the duvet, she climbed out of bed and exited her bedroom making her way down the hall to the old sewing room that used to be Gram's. She padded down the wooden floor softly and opened the door, making her way to the crib as she picked up her son Wyatt Matthew Halliwell, named for his very protective Uncle Leo and Aunt Paige.

Prue was wearing a red spaghetti strap camisole with black silk bottoms and the night air was chilly on her exposed arms. She walked over to the rocking chair and began to feed him. Andy had been called away on a case more than two hours before, and Prue was just as anxious as she always was when he went to a crime scene. Oddly, Prue feared the mortal dangers that her husband faced more than the demonic ones she faced. It was always there in the back of her mind that something would happen and the family would be exposed.

Deciding that she needed to focus on what was good, Prue sung to her son. He was the first boy to be born into the family since before Melinda Warren and neither her or her sisters were sure of what that meant. It was a miracle that Prue even had this new family, she thought as remembered how this had all started. It had been during the attack with Shax, after time was reset.

The Source had reneged on the terms of the pact he had made with Phoebe and they hadn't been warned of Phoebe's absence. Leo had been down in the underworld protecting Phoebe alongside Cole in order to make sure that nothing would happen to her in case the Source had tricked her. When Shax attacked and Prue was thrown into the wall the Elders had sent Andy down to serve as their whitelighter in Leo's absence. Unable to retrieve Phoebe, Prue and Piper tried to summon her and were surprised when they were visited by their mother and grandmother.

"Your destiny still awaits," Grams had said. "You must find her quickly if you hope to be able to rescue Phoebe. Her power is diminished down in the underworld and you'll need Paige to save her."

"But she's not versed in her powers," Prue pointed out, focusing more on the logistics than the emotional impact of finding out that she had another sister. She knew if they were going to get through this she was going to have to go along with this until Phoebe was home and safe again. She would kick their asses later.

"All you need to do is form the bond and you should be able to protect her," Patty said. "Take a spell with you, one to vanquish the Source before he can come after you again. Now hurry, we have to leave and you need to find Paige. Blessed be," she said as she clasped her mother's hand and they disappeared in a brilliant show of falling lights.

Prue and Piper had found Paige and had urged her to help them save their sister; eventually the four had become close and the Elders had allowed Andy to return to Prue. In a twist of fate, the Elders had revealed that they had only been holding Andy for safe keeping. An Angel of Destiny had appeared and revealed that while Andy had to die to protect them, it had always been meant for him to return to her. He kept his whitelighter powers and was allowed to return to the police force, where no one remembered his death and he had been promoted. He still had charges, but many of them were kids that were in the system and it gave him a lot of pleasure to look out for them.

Andy had been shocked when Wyatt was born because they had been expecting a little girl and never bothered to ask their doctor about their child's sex. What was even more surprising was the white blonde hair he had been born with, and Prue remembered that Victor's mother had been a blonde as was Andy's father. Still, Prue thought he was the most beautiful child she had ever seen, and she had been afraid to let him out of her sight after his birth when a Sorcerer had held her captive and tried to kidnap him. Leo and Paige had really done well that time, as Leo had figured out that Victor's wife was a demon and Paige had realized that the unicorn had been a present from the Elders.

Rocking Wyatt, watching as his eyes began to close, Prue thought of everything that had happened in the past two years since she had almost died and the consequences of finding a fourth sister. Paige hadn't created a power of four but had increased the power of three, acting as a telepathic-empathetic bond between the sisters and fighting alongside them. Paige had every whitelighter power, though some were still developing and she spent a lot of her time outside of work with the Elders so she could train. In the two years since she had been in the family, the sisters' powers had increased up to the level they had experienced when they had gone ten years in the future to prevent Phoebe from being executed. That future was only six years away.

Still, Prue wondered how much would remain the same. When they had gone she hadn't seen her and Andy together, let alone with a son. Still, Prue knew some things would remain the same. Piper was about four months pregnant, and she had been wise enough to find out the sex of her child. She was having a little girl that she would name Melinda Brianne Halliwell, after their great-great-great something grandmother and aunt. She couldn't wait to be an Aunt.

Prue was gazing at her son, not wanting to put him back in his crib, when the door squeaked and Phoebe walked in. "You gonna go back to sleep," she asked. Since the sisters had vanquished the Source, things had been a lot calmer around here. Phoebe had returned with Cole and had created a potion that had stripped Cole of his demon half. He was working as a corporate lawyer after a stint as a lawyer for Social Services. That hadn't ended well for either him or Paige.

Cole, Paige and Prue eventually learned to get along and Prue had to admit that Cole was doing well. They had married a year ago and had bought the old St. George Manor next door where Dan had lived. There was definitely a need for space but neither had wanted to go far. As it was, Piper and Leo were waiting for escrow to close on the house they had purchased directly behind the manor. Still, Paige was currently in Phoebe's old room and the sewing room was going to have to be the nursery for a little while longer. It would only be a month until Piper and Leo moved out, and they were already planning on opening the backyards of all three houses so they would have more space for family get-togethers.

Phoebe had found a job at a local newspaper and was as happy as ever, still when Prue spared her a glance she noticed how sad Phoebe's eyes were. "Hey," Prue said placing a hand on her arm. "What's wrong?" Prue knew Cole was away on business and Phoebe was sleeping over because she got lonely in her house.

"I think I'm pregnant."

"Are you happy?"

"Yeah," she said. "It's just that Cole and I have only been married for a year and we never really talked about kids. Plus, I actually have a job that I love and do really great at and I don't know if it's the right time."

"Oh, Phoebs. You're working yourself up for nothing. Cole is going to love a baby, your job is going to continue to go well and you can always work from home, and you'll have me and Piper to help you out. What are you really afraid of?"

"I've been a screw up all my life and I'm finally getting things right. What happens if I mess this up?"

"Oh, Phoebs," Prue said, her voice dropping. "You were born for this and your baby is going to love you. Nothing you can do will change that, okay?"

"Thanks."

"When are you going to tell him?"

"Tomorrow, when he gets home."

The two sisters just sat together as Prue rocked Wyatt back and forth. Now that three of them were married and expecting children, the only thing left to do was find somebody for Paige. Hopefully that wouldn't take too long, Prue thought. Her youngest sister deserved to be happy.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: sorry it took me so long to update. I'm student teaching and it will probably be like this until my spring break comes around in a month. Hope you enjoy it and will review.

Paige Mathews was in her room looking at her photo albums of a life that seemed like it had happened a million years ago. Since meeting her sisters and learning about their shared destiny, Paige spent less and less time thinking about life before her sisters. Before her were pictures of her baptism, communion, high school graduation, birthday parties. The last pictures her parents were in were her sweet 16 photos. After that her Uncle Dave and Aunt Julie had been responsible for documenting every celebratory moment in Paige's life. Since moving into the manor she hadn't seen or spoken to them nearly as much as she should. Paige realized how much she owed them for everything they had done for her.

It was only nine o'clock on a Saturday morning and Paige was feeling nostalgic for a reason. Aunt Julie had called her a few days earlier and asked Paige if she was available for lunch and Paige had thought it would be the perfect opportunity to integrate her old and new lives. She had been living with her sisters for two years now and while she had met her mother and grandmother and learned about her heritage, Paige had never asked her sisters to learn more about her past. She had been nervous about asking them, but Prue had agreed to host a brunch here and Piper had been generous enough to offer to make the food. Phoebe had set about picking out tablecloths and napkins. All that was left for Paige was to sit back and relax. It seemed as if her sisters were more excited than she was, but then again they didn't get to have a lot of people over because of the demon attacks.

Paige needed this brunch. She hadn't spoken to her sisters about it, but she had felt a little discombobulated over the past couple of months; as if certain pieces of her no longer fit. The thing was she really missed those pieces. She had been self-assured and confident in her ability to work as a social worker and while Paige knew she was the only one responsible for cutting her time at South Bay social services short, she knew she had to get back on track. There was no reason why her new life needed to completely obstruct her past life; Paige could create a unity between all the different areas of her life and today would be a new beginning.

Looking at the album, Paige knew she wouldn't give up being a part of her natural family for anything. She only wanted to rediscover the family that had nurtured her and were responsible for who she had become, even if she acknowledged that the Halliwells were responsible for the person Paige was meant to be. Destiny was funny, she thought. Paige couldn't imagine what life would have been like if she had been given the chance to grow up with her sisters and Grams. It might have been completely different, but then again it might have been the same exact Paige. Nurture versus nature was unpredictable, and Paige could imagine partying with Phoebe, going to Piper for advice, and idolizing Prue even if she and Phoebe were always arguing. Still, her adoptive parents had been precious and Paige knew that everything that had happened was meant to be. Everything happens for a reason.

* * *

Two hours had gone by fast and before she knew it, Paige heard a car pull up and Phoebe called for her to come down. Prue was shaking hands with Aunt Julie and Uncle Dave as Paige came down the stairs. Piper, like the perfectionist she was, had the food lined up on the buffet table and carafes filled with coffee and orange juice. Leo and Cole were watching tv in the sunroom and came out to greet their guests. Unfortunately, Andy had been called away and would hopefully be home soon.

Everyone sat down to eat when the phone rang; Prue excused herself to answer it and ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach that always appeared whenever Andy was at work. "Halliwell residence," she greeted and was relieved to hear Andy on the other end.

"Hey, babe. It looks as though I might have to work all day. I'm working with a parole officer whose parolee was identified by a witness as being at the crime scene and the kid's gone awol."

"Okay, do you want me to drop off some leftovers for you?"

"That would be great, honey. Thanks, and tell Paige I'm sorry."

"Of course. Hope you find your parolee. See you later," Prue said before hanging up.

Sitting down at the table, Prue explained that Andy's tardiness had become an absence due to work. The sisters spent time talking with Paige's family and finding out more about Paige's childhood then she had ever told them. They knew about her parents obviously, but all of their late night bonding had been about filling Paige in on the details of their lives. Prue realized that they had never shown Paige the same curiosity by asking for funny memories of her childhood, and she knew they were going to have to make up for that.

* * *

Brunch had lasted for hours, and Paige had walked her aunt and uncle to the car while agreeing to go see them and her cousins next weekend for a family reunion which they had invited her sisters to as well. The youngest sister was happy. Not that she hadn't been for the last two years, it was just that she realized that she had needed more than what she was allowing herself to have in life. Meeting her sisters, seeing all three of them in successful careers and marriages gave Paige hope for herself. It was the kind of hope that had been missing after her parents had been killed.

"That was nice," Piper said. "Aside from Glen we never really got to meet anyone from your past."

"Yeah," Paige responded. "Oh, and Aunt Julie invited us out to her place next weekend for a gathering if anyone wants to go."

"I'm in," Phoebe said as if she was racing to be the first one to get a treat. Sometimes she acted more like a kid than Paige and she wasn't even the youngest anymore.

"Yeah," Prue said. "It'll be nice to attend normal family functions for once. Speaking of which, Dad called earlier."

"Oh, what did he say," Phoebe asked. The older girls' father had only become involved in their lives on a permanent basis about two years before. It had taken him some time to get over Paige's existence, but Victor wasn't the type to hold his wife's affair on a child. Plus, Victor was smart enough to realize that Paige's presence boosted his girls' powers and made them safer. He had grown thankful to Paige over the past two years and treated her as if were one of his own.

"He wanted to know if he could come over for dinner on Friday and see Wyatt, and you guys. I thought it would be the perfect time to tell him your news," Prue said directly to Phoebe.

"What news," Piper asked.

Prue turned back to Phoebe with a look of disbelief. It had been nearly a week since their meeting in the nursery and Prue had been sure that Phoebe had told their sisters. Prue finished putting the leftovers in tupperware, making sure to put some aside for Andy and packing enough for the parole officer he was working with.

Phoebe looked around at all of the pondering gazes that were focused on her. She had chickened out when Cole came home from his business trip. "Oh, well," she said breathing out. "I guess this is as good a time as any," she went on and let out a big breath of air. "I'm pregnant," she said and looked individually from one person to the next. Cole seemed shell shocked and Paige and Piper ran –okay, Piper waddled—over to her to hug her. Leo was patting Cole on the back and congratulating him and Cole still seemed shell shocked with his mouth hanging open.

"Wait a minute," he said. "You're pregnant?" Phoebe nodded, still squished between her sisters. "And you told Prue before me?"

"I needed to talk to someone and you were away," Phoebe replied hoping to calm her husband down.

"Don't be upset, Cole. I raised her, she was worried. She came to me so that when she told you she only had to focus on the happiness. It's my fault you found out like this, I shouldn't have said anything."

"You've known for a week?" That was about the only thing he seemed to take away from Prue's little speech.

"I didn't know how or when to tell you. Are you really upset?"

"I'm not upset, I just…I've had a week less than you to think about this and go look at baby clothes and tell everyone at work that I'm going to be a dad," he said. "Do you think it's a boy?"

Everyone laughed at him and Phoebe walked up to him and kissed him. "It's really too early to tell," she said.

"Not even a little premonition," he asked causing everybody to laugh at him again. "No," he said when she shook her head. "A little girl would be nice, too."

Prue grabbed her keys and the tupperware and headed to her car. "You guys celebrate and I will be back soon. I'm gonna go drop off food for Andy and the officer he's working with."

"Can I come?" Prue turned to look at Paige. "I want to stop in social services. I got my old job back but I need to pick up some forms and sign them before I can go back to work."

Everyone was surprised to find out that Paige had gotten her job back. She had quit less than a year ago in order to be a full-time witch and hadn't mentioned going back.

"Sure, grab your stuff," Prue said before leaving.

* * *

They had stopped by the police department before heading over to social services. When they went up to see Andy he was at his desk with a young, handsome man who seemed to be about Paige's age. Andy looked up to see his wife and sister-in-law standing at his desk with food.

"Did Piper make it," he asked only to receive two punches; one to each shoulder, from each girl. He could only be happy that Phoebe wasn't there. The parole officer laughed and received threatening looks from the two women and decided to put a serious expression on his face.

"Hi, I'm Henry Mitchel," he said introducing himself. "You must be Prue," he said holding out his hand to Prue.

"Nice to meet you. There should be enough food for both of you, and yes," she said shooting daggers at Andy, "Piper made it."

"Thanks. Henry, this is Paige," Andy said directing Henry's attention away from the abuse he was going to suffer from his wife. "She's my youngest sister-in-law."

"Nice to meet you," Henry said holding out a hand.

"You, too," she said not taking it.

"Well, we've got to go," Prue said abruptly and elbowing Paige for being so rude. "Paige needs to drop by South Bay in order to sign some things before she starts working again and we want to get their before they close for the night."

"Oh, you're a social worker?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just a lot of my parolees are kids in the system. Maybe we'll be seeing more of each other."

"I don't think so," Paige said before turning around and walking out.

"I am so sorry," Prue said before leaving to find Paige.

"You'll get used to it if Paige ever drops by," Andy told him after his wife rushed out.

"I'm sure I will," Henry said with a grin on his face.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a month since Phoebe had announced that she and Cole were expecting a child. Phoebe had since gone to a doctor's appointment where they had determined she was two months along. Cole had already started on a nursery in their house; it was on the second floor next to their bedroom, and it was a big open space with a huge window seat and plenty of nooks and crannies.

The happy couple had decided to wait and be surprised rather than find out the sex of the baby. Cole was a bundle of nerves and excitement as he thought of the perks of having a little boy that he could take to baseball games and quickly thought of the prospect of having a little girl to dance on his shoes. Phoebe took it as a sign that since she hadn't had a premonition about the baby's sex that she should wait to find out.

Because they were waiting to find out the gender –which was as patient as either was going to be during the pregnancy—they were going full throttle with baby proofing the house and setting up the nursery. It was cream because the color both lightened the room at the same time that it gave it a warm feeling, as well as because the color was neutral and once the baby came they could pick accent colors to go with it. The crib was black and in the coming years would be transformed into a day bed and then into a queen. Bright, pale green curtains hung in the windows and matching changing table, dresser, and rocking chair were positioned throughout the room along with family portraits lining the walls. They had completed the nursery around the same time as Piper and Leo, who had finally moved into their house on the next street.

Piper was now five and a half months along and showed several signs that her daughter would have similar powers to Wyatt, including a force field and unexpected orbing that had gotten both Prue and Piper into bad situations. For her, leaving the manor was another big step in her life she had never thought would happen. Since becoming a witch she had grown so much as a person, leaving behind the shy and insecure girl with a fair of being inadequate and paving the way for the sweet but take charge woman who had finally come into her own. The club was in a great place, she had a home of her own and soon she would be a mother. For Piper, nothing could be better.

The only two sisters in the manor now were Paige and Prue. Since getting her job back, Paige had started as a social worker and had been surprised at how well she had fallen back into step with the work. One of her cases was actually a witch that the Elders had assigned Paige to as a whitelighter. Paige had been hesitant to start working as a whitelighter but found that it appealed to the same part of Paige that had called for her to help people through her job as a social worker.

As she left the copy room where she was making duplicates of an adoption file, Paige saw the one thing she had been hoping to avoid for the past month. Her charge was coming in escorted by Henry Mitchell.

"What is going on," she said between clenched teeth.

"Tyler here was caught shoplifting at a store about four blocks over. I thought I'd release him into your care seeing as you're his social worker but the store is pressing charges. Apparently this isn't the first time it's happened and they aren't willing to be as forgiving the third time around."

Paige's head tilted to the side as she held her tongue and looked at the young fire starter that she come to know over the past year or so. "Tyler, my cubicle. Now." Paige turned to look at Henry. Her eyes zeroed in on her adversary as she clicked her tongue. "Thank you for bring him here. I will make sure his foster parents pick him up and are made aware of his court proceedings."

"Well, I'd like to wait around for them if you don't mind. If the charges aren't dropped and he's found guilty I'm probably going to be assigned his parole officer. I want to introduce myself."

"That's fine," Paige said tersely. She turned around to head back to her cubicle and stopped suddenly when she saw him go to follow from the corner of her high. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Your cubicle? To wait?"

"Um, no. The waiting area is back there. Have fun," she said.

* * *

Paige slammed the door to the manor as she threw her keys and purse onto the foyer table and stalked into the kitchen. She dug through the freezer to find a small pint of ice cream hidden in the back away from where Prue could find it. Lately Prue had been all over any sweets that came into the manor.

As she leaned against the sink and closed her eyes in anticipation of the sweet miracle that was chocolate chip cookie dough, Paige went to push the spoon into her mouth and when she bit down found that the ice cream was no longer there. Surprised –not pleasantly—she opened to see her big sister with a look of pure pleasure on her face.

"What the hell?"

"Oh, my god. That is so good," Prue said. "Ah, this is just what I needed."

"Me too, which is why I was in the middle of eating it," Paige said, grabbing the container and orbing to her room.

"What did I do?"

Prue climbed the stairs to the second floor. She checked on Wyatt, who at eight months old was sleeping peacefully in his crib. Closing his door, she turned to knock on her youngest sister's.

Entering, she asked, "What's going on?"

"You don't even get it, do you," Paige asked. "You just take whatever you want without asking and consequences. My ice cream," she said slowly as if saying 'Me Jane, you Tarzan'. "Mine. Not yours. You want ice cream then get your own," she said before pouting and digging her spoon into the frozen deliciousness.

"Okay, you're right. I don't know why, I've just been inhaling sweets like crazy. But you're right. I should have asked," she said sitting on Paige's bed. She rubbed her hand over her sister's leg in a soothing motion. "It's not just the ice cream, is it?"

"Tyler was caught shoplifting."

"Oh, well that wasn't what I was expecting. What did his foster parents say?"

"They said they think he did it because they're expecting a baby and he's lashing out."

"Is he afraid they won't want him anymore?" Prue loved the little fire starter from the moment she had laid eyes on him. She also knew what it felt like to not only be abandoned but to have the weight of the world on her shoulders. It was a weight that had only recently been lifted.

"Yeah. The thing he didn't know before he started acting like a little hooligan is that Eric and Shayna are in the process of adopting him. That's what I was doing when I found out he had done it; I was making copies of his adoption file."

"You know he's going to outgrow this. He's a good kid."

"I know, but there's a very good chance he's going to be a good kid with a record and a parole officer."

All of a sudden Prue figured it all out. "Oh, like say Henry," she asked making a silly face.

"Stop it," Paige said throwing her pillow at Prue's face. "He's insufferable."

"If by insufferable you mean cute," Prue went on. "He likes you. Andy told me."

"He's a cop."

Prue looked at her as if she didn't make any sense. "Andy's a cop."

"My dad was a fire fighter."

"And?"

Paige looked down at her cuticles. "Even though it was a car accident that took him, I was always afraid he wouldn't come home whenever he went to work. I don't want to feel like that again."

Prue looked into Paige's eyes, knowing that everything Paige had said was true for herself. Knowing Andy was out there terrified her, and he had powers.

"You can't push people away just because they could get hurt in the future, Paige. It happens to everyone, even those whose jobs don't seem to be all that dangerous. What about what we do? We fight evil on a daily basis. Any one lucky enough to be with you is going to feel exactly what you're afraid to feel."

"I'm scared," Paige said finally looking into Prue's eyes.

"I know you are," she said placing her hand on her sister's cheek. "I was scared, too."

"When I saw him I knew," Paige answered cryptically.

"Knew what?"

"He's the one who could break my heart."

Prue melted at her sister's confession. Each of the sisters before Paige had felt something the first time they had looked at their men. For Prue there had been an instant, unshakable sense of being safe and wanted. She knew that Piper had felt like the most precious thing ever the first time Leo had laid eyes on her. For Phoebe it had been an immense excitement surging through her body.

Each time a Halliwell had met their soul mate, some part of them that had been missing was remembered. For Paige, Prue knew she had remembered the heartache of losing the most important man in her life which had been easy to block out after inheriting her magical destiny. Prue knew that out of all of her sisters, Paige was the most like her in the aspect that she was afraid to love again. She just hoped Paige would open her heart like she had.

Kissing the youngest on the forehead, Prue got off the bed and made her way to the door. "Dinner's going to be ready in half an hour."

* * *

When Paige trotted down the stairs for dinner she heard a voice that didn't belong. Entering the kitchen she saw Andy, Prue, and… "Henry," she said unsure of why he was there.

"Hey, Paige," he replied giving her one of those goofy grins of his.

"Andy brought him home for dinner."

"Are you friends all of a sudden? I thought you only worked one case together," she asked.

"Actually," Andy started, "Henry plays poker with me, Darryl, and some of the other guys on the force once a month."

Paige sat down and Henry purposefully sat across from her. "How's it going," he asked.

Paige held up her wrist and glanced down, "You mean since two hours ago? Peachy," she said in a biting tone.

"Paige," Prue said in a no nonsense tone meaning 'knock it off'. She carried a tray of London Broil to the table. "Dig in."

* * *

Paige walked out of the kitchen to see Andy saying goodbye to Henry. Henry nodded to her with a smile and left. She made her way into the conservatory and turned on the tv, lounging on the couch when she heard Phoebe come in.

"Hey, sis. What's up?" Phoebe sat across from her with a goofy smile that exposed her wisdom teeth.

"Nothing much," she said hesitantly. "What do you know that I don't?"

"You'll find out soon," she said letting her baby sister ponder the possibilities.

* * *

Prue, Piper, and Phoebe sat in the backyard. It was about three o'clock in the morning and none of them had been able to sleep. Prue had been the first to come outside and gaze at the stars, followed by Phoebe and finally Piper.

"Do you think he could be the one," Piper asked while rubbing her expanding belly.

"Definitely," Phoebe answered. "I walked past him on his way out earlier and got a hit off of him." She paused, turning from sister to sister for added dramatic effect. "He was holding out a ring."

"So they at least date." Piper popped a grape into her mouth.

"He's the one. I know it," Phoebe said and rubbed Piper's tummy. "He's yummy, too."

Prue had been quite for the past few minutes and finally said what she needed to say. "She had the feeling."

Both of her sisters turned to look at her, knowing exactly what feeling she meant. Each of them had told the others exactly how they knew their husbands were the one for them.

"Really," Piper said.

"I knew it!" Phoebe was bouncing and clapping. "How did she describe it?"

Prue released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "As if he's going to break her heart."

Piper and Phoebe's faces dropped. Neither had seen that coming.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry it's taken me this long to update and that it's so short...I kind of forgot I was working on it because of student teaching. Good news is I only have three weeks left before I graduate and then I can update more regularly. Please review and let me know what you think.

* * *

Time had passed on relatively quickly for the Halliwell family. Piper was in her third trimester at eight and a half months pregnant, and Phoebe was now five months pregnant. Since their midnight rendezvous they had made some major discoveries, such as the fact that the reason why Prue was suddenly a junk food junkie was because she was pregnant with her second son, a little boy who would be born in five months time.

The three elder sisters were happy with their normal lives, despite the fact that demons still came after them. Their increased powers since Paige's induction into the family were really something. Demons should know better. Oh, well. It's not like they're the smartest creatures out there.

Since knowing Paige, Phoebe's powers had progressed into more detailed, lengthy visions. Lately it had grown into her being able to astral project into visions, which was slightly dangerous as they had discovered during their battle against the Gypsy hunter. Also, her levitation was much more dependable and Phoebe had even been able to go for short flying adventures at night in the country side, mostly vineyards. Of course, she had developed new powers. The empathy had come as a complete shock and they had all been concerned because of Prue's stint as an empath a couple of years earlier. It took awhile for the sisters to get use to it especially with Phoebe's prying into their personal lives.

It had been hardest for Paige, who went through a month period of avoiding her sister. The youngest had been dealing with some issues that she used to have…okay, still had. Phoebe's power had made it impossible for her to either deal with them on her own or to avoid dealing with them. Eventually, Prue had been the sister who had straightened her out and fixed things between her and Phoebe. Though still wary of anything that might occur between them, Paige had finally agreed to go out with Henry after months of him bugging her.

Phoebe, Piper, and Prue were sitting in the kitchen waiting to see Paige for the big date. They had tried helping her pick out clothes and doing all of that predate stuff that sisters normally do together but Paige had kicked them out of her room. She didn't want to make a big deal about it because it wasn't like she was making a lifelong commitment, or so she thought.

When they heard the front door slam there were mutterings of "oh, no she didn't" and "where does she think she's going without showing us what she's wearing". The three pregnant sisters were all very emotional about it, and decided the night would be best spent watching an old black and white movie and eating pints of ice cream.

* * *

The husbands were over at Leo's new place watching a game before moving on to their poker game. Victor had been hanging around more regularly and had finally buried the hatchet when Victor had discovered that Andy was a whitelighter. If the little boy he had known for over thirty years was a whitelighter than Victor had decided that maybe his entire point of view on the matter was completely wrong. Besides, there was an ex demon in the family. If Victor could accept a demon he could accept an angel.

The guys liked the normal feeling that came from not having any magical emergencies going on. Over at the Manor, the girls were talking about how their pregnancies were affecting their powers. Piper had been experiencing very pacifistic dreams of underwater symphonies as well as the occasional orbing mishap. Prue had experienced that the first time around and had control over that aspect now. What was plaguing her were symbolic dreams of a handsome young man who wore a stony expression on his face and was shouting out instructions. The only thing she could hear was, "save him". Prue had no idea what that meant and she was still trying to figure it out. As for Phoebe, the only thing that was aggravating her was her raging hormones and empathy mixing. Her mood swings were horrible.

As for Paige and Henry, there date started out tense as Paige couldn't quite get past her baggage. As a reasonable and perfectly sound adult, Paige had decided to break her cardinal rule. She had ordered a drink. It was cranberry lemonade with Bacardi grand melon that tasted like a liquid jolly rancher and it had completely dissolved her tension. At the end of the night Henry returned her to the manor and Paige gave him a quick peck on the cheek. As she turned to open the door, he turned her around to face him and gave her the slowest, simplest kiss possible. Still, her knees weakened and Henry was pleased with his handy work.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he said. Paige just nodded her head; her eyes still shut. "Good night."

"Good night," she whispered once she was actually able to open her eyes and communicate. When she opened the door her crazy, hormonal sisters pounced.

"How was it," Prue demanded.

"Are you going to see him again," Piper asked.

"Is he a good kisser," came from Phoebe.

"I think I may need another drink," Paige said heading into the kitchen.

"Another," Prue asked hot on her sister's trail. "You don't drink, ever."

"I did tonight," she answered pouring herself a mimosa. "I'd offer you guys some but obviously you can't." She paused before sitting at the breakfast table. "It was nerve wracking. I've never been terrified or shy with guys, and he terrifies me. So to answer your questions it was amazing, he's calling me tomorrow, and he is a wonderful kisser." Paige knocked the mimosa back. "Alright, well, I'm going to bed. I will see you in the morning," she said before quickly making her way upstairs.

"She must really like him," Piper said.

"Believe me," Phoebe responded, "she does."

* * *

Prue tossed and turned that night as she slept alone in her bed. Andy had been called in by Morris and so she had the whole bed to spread out in. Still, when she went to bed that night she saw the he young man again. He had dark brown hair and light green blue eyes. Flashes of war torn cities weaved in and out as she saw more and more terrifying scenes. "Save him," he said. "You have to protect him," he shouted.

"Protect who?"

"Him," the young man answered. His lips kept moving but she couldn't hear him. Cries were drowning him out. Cries. Wyatt.

Prue sat up in a cold sweat. "Wyatt," she said climbing out of bed. Her baby boy was crying up a storm. She plucked him from his crib and rocked him back and forth in his room. An hour past before she could get him to calm down. Once he was asleep she spent another hour watching him before making her way downstairs.

Luckily this pregnancy hadn't made her very sick. Most of her symptoms were hunger increases and sex drive overload. She sat at the kitchen table with a coffee mug and the baby monitor. That was the same position she was in hours later when Paige and then Piper and Phoebe made their way over for brunch.

"Guys, I need your help," was all she would say.


	5. Chapter 5

The prophetic dreams had sent the sisters into a tail spin. They had never studied their magic so deeply or intensely but since Wyatt's life was in danger they had let go of their hesitance and dived right in. None had known about scrying with the elements, but Prue's specialty was scrying with fire, Piper through gemstones, Phoebe with water, and Paige was adept at using all of them.

They had studied the history and basics of other pagan religions, voodoo, etc. They had even tried to send Prue into her dream in order to talk more with the mystery man. Interrogating and investigating in the underworld hadn't turned up much. Prue was at her wits end.

She laid down in her bed alone. Andy had been called away by a charge. Now at five months pregnant, she was becoming increasingly aware of how scared she was for her child. Her second son, a little boy who she had not yet named, should not be born into this situation. As it was, Piper was due to have her little girl in less than two weeks time. Something needed to happen.

As she fell asleep she found herself walking through a haze of fog and mist.

"You're no closer today than you were a month ago," the voice said and Prue turned to face him.

"It would help if I knew what I was looking for. If I knew what to protect Wyatt from then this could all be over with."

"I don't know," he said. "I was captured while trying to complete my mission."

"Mission for what," Prue asked.

" The resistance. I was supposed to travel back to your time, twenty years in the past, in order to find out who does it but I was captured."

"Find out who does what?"

"Turn Wyatt."

"No, no that's not possible. Wyatt's good," she screamed at the retreating figure.

"Not in my time."

* * *

Paige slid out from under Henry and reached out for her clothes. After she zipped her jeans and pulled a t-shirt over her head and slipped on a flip flop. Looking under the bed she tried spying for the matching flip flop. Frustrated, she held out her hand and called for it.

On her way out Henry started to wake and Paige headed out without sparing him a glance.

* * *

"Leo," Piper waddled down the stairs in her new house. "Leo!"

"What," he yelled from the kitchen. Usually she just called when she needed her not so secret stash of Hagen daaz. He looked up and found her standing right in front of him. "You okay?"

"My water just broke," she said.

* * *

Piper laid in her bed as Phoebe lit aroma therapy candles and Paige created a protective circle around Piper's room. When Prue had become pregnant with Wyatt the sisters had looked into growth and protection rituals with the help of grams.

As Leo sat behind her in order to support her weight during the labor, Prue was acting as Piper's midwife and checking on the progress of her sister's labor. "Push Piper," she said and Piper's face scrunched as she put all of her effort into delivering her daughter. Paige used a damp washcloth to wipe the sweat from her sister's face.

"You're crowning. The baby should be out in a couple of pushes," Prue announced. Prue was happy to be fulfilling this role for Piper, just as Piper had for her when she had given birth to Wyatt. Four pushes and fifteen minutes later, Melinda Charlotte Halliwell was born into the world.

"Melinda Charlotte, huh?" Paige sat in a settee next to Piper's bed looking adoringly at her niece. "You didn't want to stick with the tradition?"

"Well, I kind of figured the arrival of the charmed ones made the tradition null and void. Plus, we've come full circle now. Melinda's prophecy is complete and it's nice to have a namesake for our ancestor."

"One you delivered," Phoebe added.

"That's right. I named her for our great great great something grandmother who I delivered, as well as for Melinda's mother. I think Grams would approve, don't you think little baby," Piper said as her voice edged towards sugary sweetness.

"You nervous, Phoebs," Paige asked. "You're up next," she reminded the third Halliwell.

"I still have three more months to go, I'm gonna wait a little longer before I freak out over the entire thing."

"Did you come up with any names for the little girl yet," Prue asked.

"Actually, yes. Cole and I were discussing names and we decided that we want to stick with the tradition. Her name is going to start with a P."

"Why'd you choose to keep it going," Piper asked.

"Well, when I had the premonition that spoiled the surprise of her gender, I heard what her name was going to be so Cole and I figured we didn't really have a choice. It's meant to be."

"Okay," Paige said, "but what is it?"

"Pearl," Phoebe announced rubbing her belly.

"Like aunt Pearl? Your past life Pearl," Prue asked. When the girls were adding Wyatt and Paige to the family tree they had decided to summon grams and get a full history of each generation of Warren witches.

They had put together a scrapbook with mementos and pictures they had found in the attic so that each family member could be honored. Prue's past life had been Phoebe, for whom her sister was named after. Piper had been Patrice, for whom their mother had been named after, and Phoebe had been Pearl.

"I know, I know. But I think it'll be nice. It's a way to acknowledge how much I've changed, from that life to this one. If my soul can be given a second chance than I think the name can be given one as well."

"I think it's great," Prue said. "But right now we should let mommy and daddy get some rest," she said getting up from her seat at the edge of the bed. "We set up the alarm system and cast a circle, so you should be able to rest demon free."

The sisters said their goodbyes and Phoebe went home with Paige and Prue. Cole was working at the office for the night and had sent his best wishes to the lucky couple.

The three entered the back door of the manor and Prue dug her way through the freezer gathering three pint sized ice creams. Hours later Phoebe was passed out on the couch, and Paige and Prue sat by the fireplace.

"What's going on with you?" Prue could tell something had her little sister preoccupied.

"I slept with Henry," Paige admitted. Her voice was as distant as her thoughts were.

* * *

Two days later, after much cajoling from Prue, Paige raised her fist about to knock on Henry's door right as he opened it. He smiled brilliantly for a hot second before remembering he was upset with her. Crossing his arms, he set his "all business" look onto his face.

"Paige, imagine seeing you here."

"Hi Henry. I, um, wanted to come over and see if this was a good time to talk, but you know what? You're busy, so I'm just gonna go home and I'll give you a call later, 'kay? 'Bye!"

Henry grabbed her arm after she turned to walk away. "Actually," he said, "now is great. I was just going out for lunch. You can join me," Henry said guiding her to the elevator afraid he'd blink and she'd be gone again. "I _really_ want to talk to you."


	6. Chapter 6

Paige sat across from Henry at the café where they were having lunch. She wasn't sure how he had done it but Henry had somehow managed to seat them in the most secluded part of the restaurant where Paige couldn't make a mad dash. They had been there for almost an hour and she had been mortified at her own actions. It was also very weird for her to see this sweet, laid back man be so assertive with her and still manage to be calm and relaxed.

"This is how it's going to be with us," Henry said laying down the law. "When we make love, I expect you to spend the night in my arms. I don't want to wake up missing you. I want to wake up and be able to say good morning; to hijack you and keep you in my arms a little while longer. You are NOT going to avoid my calls, and you are going to bring me home to get to know your sisters better."

Henry, done talking, picked up a bite of his food and looked across the table to see a nervous, speechless Paige who just nodded her head.

* * *

Piper and Prue were having lunch at Piper's place and Wyatt and Melinda were napping in a playpen. Phoebe and Cole were at a doctor's appointment.

"Have you been able to figure anything out?"

"Not really," Prue said. "The man said he was captured by Wyatt before he could come back and find a way to save him. I guess that's why he's reaching out to me. If he can't do it than he's trying to make sure that we can. I just wish there was something in the book of shadows. "

"Maybe we should try making new spells. We always look to the book but maybe it's holding us back. We tend to strategize in correspondence to the books advice. What if we brainstormed some new ideas? We could even get the guys to sit down with us and talk it over."

"I don't see any other option," Prue said. "Phoebe and I are due in a couple of months. I need to make sure that we're not in the middle of a battle when one of us goes into labor."

"So this is the plan; we're abandoning the book of shadows," Phoebe asked walking. Her doctor had been able to squeeze her in early and she had made it over in time for a bit of lunch.

"Don't think of it as abandoning the book, okay," Prue said. "The witches in our family had to have created the spells themselves, right? So we're doing the same. All that the book really is… is a written record of the spells our ancestors came up with. Since none of them serve our purpose we need to make new ones. It's time to think outside of the box."

* * *

Paige knocked on Prue's door later that night while Andy was at work. Throwing herself on the bed she gave Prue her best puppy dog eyes before saying, "I think I might have just entered a committed, mature adult relationship. What's wrong with me?"

"What are you talking about? I like Henry; he's good for you."

"Uh, that's what Piper said."

"Oh," Prue said looking at her youngest sister. "You already talked to Piper about this," she said pretending to be offended that she was second fiddle in the advice giving business.

Paige nodded. "And Phoebe," she added.

"Well, that's your mistake missy Paige. I might have given you a heads up on something top secret that I know but now you'll just have to wait and see."

"Like what?"

Prue just kept silent and rubbed her belly with a huge smile. The little boy in there was getting quite big. Looking up, she looked Paige in the eye and said, "I'll never tell."

"Uh, I'll just ask Phoebe then," she said hoping to one up Prue.

"I didn't tell her. You know that girl can't keep a secret," Prue told her.

"Damn it!"

* * *

"Family dinner at the manor," Piper repeated. "Tonight? You couldn't have told me a couple of days ago," she asked Prue.

"I didn't know until last night," Prue told her. "It's a special occasion. Come on, it's for one of your little sisters," she said.

"Which one and why didn't they ask me?"

"Paige, and because she doesn't know yet."

Piper's eyes narrowed in question. "Don't worry," the eldest told her. "Just remember to add an extra setting. And don't tell Pheebs."

* * *

"This is delicious, Piper," Henry told her from his seat at the dining table.

"Thank you. Would you like more," she asked and added more to his plate when he nodded his head. "Do you cook or do you order a lot of take out?"

"I eat a lot of cold cuts. Pretty basic, you know. But if this is the turn out I might start cooking," he told her.

"Maybe I should try cooking," Andy said and narrowly avoided Prue's fist. "Seriously, Henry, these girls don't cook. They leech off Piper; she's brilliant in her cooking but none of the others inherited that genius," he joked and received glares from the other three sisters. The conversation was rerouted to other points of interest and soon the night had come to an end.

Piper and Leo retired for the night and went home to their precious baby daughter who was being watched by Piper's friend Wendy. Since becoming a mother, Piper had tried harder than ever to stay in touch with old friends. She knew that she needed adult contact other than her sisters, and it would be nice for Melinda to have instant friends that came from knowing neighborhood families.

Phoebe and Cole went out for ice cream as the baby apparently loved strawberry milkshakes, much to Phoebe's dislike and Cole's amusement. Prue and Andy were putting away dishes and loading the dish washer while Paige walked Henry to the door.

Henry leaned down to kiss her when a thump could be heard from the upstairs. Pushing Paige behind him, he walked to the stair case and was shoved out of the way by a running Prue and Andy who was right behind her.

"Uh, don't worry about it," Paige said trying to play it down. "It's a book case in the baby's room that keeps coming down. I'm sure Andy can take care of it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." She leaned on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure," he said enthused.

Shutting the door behind him and waiting for him to get down the first set of steps, Paige broke into a run and headed for the attic to help in case of a demon. When she got there, Andy and Prue were kneeled over an unconscious young man.

"Who the hell is he and where did he come from," Paige asked.

"He's the man from my dreams," Prue answered as she stared into his face. "He's from the future."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: So, please read between the lines. For most charmed fans you're going to have already watched the episode chris-crossed so I left out pieces for the sake of time but you should all be able to read between the lines. I hope you all enjoy it. In case you couldn't tell...Prue is my favorite. SORRY...ps-I'm like Lois Lane; an awful speller.

… Paige broke into a run and headed for the attic to help in case of a demon. When she got there, Andy and Prue were kneeled over an unconscious young man.

"Who the hell is he and where did he come from," Paige asked.

"He's the man from my dreams," Prue answered as she stared into his face. "He's from the future."

* * *

Piper walked into the attic with a bucket full of gauze, ointment, and band aids and knelt beside her older sister who had refused to leave the stranger's side for the past hour. Leo and Andy had tried to heal the unconscious man with little results. Prue had pushed them out of the way when it became apparent they could be of no real help and had cradled the young man's head in her lap, against her pregnant belly.

The sisters had been called back from their evening dates to help, and the man showed no signs of waking. His injuries were extensive, ranging from bruises and swelling on his face all the way down to his feet that had broken toes and sprained ankles. Piper patched him up while Prue rocked him and ran her hand through his hair. Phoebe had tried to get a premonition off of him but had no such luck, and she was now on book duty.

"What's happening," Prue asked when he began to mumble in his sleep.

Piper continued to bandage him and spared her sister a short glance. "I think he's starting to come to. I'm going to go get some wet cloths for the fever he's running. You might want to put him in the nursery so he'll be comfortable."

Reluctantly, Prue agreed and Andy orbed them to Wyatt's room. Since they weren't sure who he really was, Andy insisted Wyatt sleep in their room that night. Prue agreed, and went down to the kitchen to start brewing potions.

* * *

It was four o'clock in the morning, and her sisters had long since gone home to bed. Prue had woken up around three and found herself unable to leave the stranger's side. She was there then when he woke up, groggy from his deep sleep and unaware of his surroundings. Coughing, he reached out for any kind of liquid, and was met by a sweet sleeping potion Prue had made for him. He fell back asleep to soft circles being rubbed along his back, and the sounds of a familiar lullaby.

She was there when he woke up, sitting up straight in all the glory that was Prudence Halliwell. At first he thought it was a dream; it couldn't possibly be real that she was there with him. He had spent the past months fighting with all his strength just so that he could complete his mission. Contacting her through his dreams had been brilliant until Wyatt discovered what he was doing.

"You need to eat," she said holding out a fork and feeding him. "You have some pretty nasty cuts and bruises. I've got Piper working on a salve for them, but unfortunately our whitelighters couldn't undo the damage."

He took another bite that she offered, chewing and looking her in the eye the entire time. She stared right back, her hand rubbing her stomach. "Can you tell me your name?"

"It's Chris."

Prue felt her littlest boy kick her gently. "Hi, Chris. Welcome to the manor."

* * *

Chris had been living at the manor with Prue and Paige for the last month. Henry had been a little uncomfortable with the fact that Paige was living with a man, but the sisters had told him that Chris was a cousin who was visiting for an undisclosed amount of time.

Prue, as unusual as it was, had been the most trusting of the mystery man from the future. As the oldest and the one with the strongest instincts, her sisters trusted her and did as she asked, spending all their spare time picking off demons that had the potential to corrupt their only nephew.

Chris showed up at the club and made his way to the sisters who had taken the rare opportunity to relax and just spend time together. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Stuff," Phoebe said jokingly and Chris started to walk away.

"Hey, where are you going," Paige asked. The young man had chosen not to interact with the sisters other than when it involved demons. That, and the fact that he said very little about who he was because of "future consequences", made him interesting, mysterious, and still shiny and new.

"I gotta go work on the next demon... stration."

"Chris, why don't you relax and come have a drink with us," Phoebe asked him.

"Thanks, but I didn't come here to relax."

"That is one bitchy Whitelighter," she said as he walked away.

"You're telling me," Piper said.

"Hey, Piper, why don't you go talk to the guilt machine over there," Paige suggested.

"Guys, lay off of him, okay? He's been through a lot and he's trying to help us. If he wants to go work then let him go work," Prue told them.

The other three looked at each other, and Piper got up disregarding Prue's orders as she made her way to the back office. When she got there she saw a young woman's hand plunged into the whitelighters chest, emanating in light.

"Hey!" Piper threw her hands up and blew the woman up, rushing to Chris's side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"What happened? Who is she?"

"I don't know," he lied.

* * *

"Is that the mark," Paige asked Piper.

"No, it looked more like a bird."

"A bird. So you're saying maybe the Audubon society sent the demon after us," Prue said sarcastically.

"Just keep looking."

"Guys, I'm telling you I'm fine, don't sweat it," Chris said trying to get them to leave it alone. He listened to them go on and on about who it could possibly be for another minute before butting in. "She's gone. Piper blew her away, what's the big deal?"

"The big deal is someone tried to kill you, Chris."

"Look at me, not a scratch, nothing."

"You know, how did she get that close to you, anyway, if you didn't even know who she was," Andy asked.

Chris walked over a creaky floorboard as he paced around the attic."We really oughta fix that, you know."

"Come on, Chris, who's after you," Leo said joining in.

"Has it crossed your mind that maybe she wasn't after me? Maybe she was trying to get to them."

"It kind of makes sense," Paige said.

"Finally, somebody's listening. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some work to take care of," he said making his way toward the door.

"Chris," Prue called.

He stopped at the sound of her voice. For whatever reason, she was the only one he would listen to at all times. "What?"

"She had her hand in your chest," she said. "Go on. Lift up your shirt."

"What? Are you crazy?"

"You said you didn't have any marks on you. So go ahead. Raise your shirt."

Chris looked back and forth between the others in the room before trying to make another dash toward the door. Prue slammed it shut with her telekinesis and when he tried to orb away she used her telekinesis to ground him, using its force to keep him in place. Waddling up to him now, six months pregnant, she lifted the shirt to see a large, circular oozing burn that had been left.

"Piper, take him downstairs and put a salve on the burn."

Piper took hold of his arm and led him downstairs to the kitchen.

"Paige, bring me the book," she ordered.

"Could you sense anything," Andy asked Phoebe who had been unable to get premonitions off of Chris in the past, or use her empathy on him.

"From Chris? No, I can never sense anything from him."

"What are you thinking," Prue asked.

"I'm thinking that if we can figure out who she was, we might be able to find out who Chris is."

"We can try to figure out who the demon is and make sure nobody else is after him," Leo chimed in. Phoebe scried for the phoenix, and she and Paige went to go investigate, leaving Piper and Prue to look after Chris.

* * *

"What did you guys find out," Prue asked her sisters when they returned in Paige's orb trail.

"Well, we found out that they reform, so when Piper blew her up in the club it must not have killed her."

"Yeah," Paige said. "Whoever this chick is that's after Chris, she's still around somewhere."

"So until we find her, or she finds us, we need to be glued to Chris," Prue said and heard her sisters groan. She knew that they cared about the young whitelighter who had come to the past to protect Wyatt, but Prue also knew that they were reluctant to help because he had spent the last month sending them out on massive amounts of demon hunting. "Look, he's the only clue we have to whatever is going to happen to Wyatt, so for the sake of my son could you just man up," Prue said having a minor outburst before storming out of the attic. She hit the stairs and made her way to the kitchen where Piper was. "Where's Chris?"

* * *

"You really shouldn't try to orb anymore, you know. It could kill you," Bianca said standing behind Chris in the city park. He was sitting on a bench in a gardened area that was well maintained…for now.

"Is that what you want?"

"If that's what I wanted you'd already be dead. All I want is to bring you back."

"How'd you know I'd be here?"

"Same reason you'd know I'd be waiting here. This is still our spot, isn't it?"

"No. This is what we hoped it would be. This is what we were trying to preserve for our future. Do you remember?"

"We were naive to think we could change anything, to stop him."

"You don't believe that. Or at least you didn't."

* * *

"Where could he have gone," Prue shouted, feeling uneasy and afraid of what could possibly have happened to the young boy she had taken in as her own. The sisters cringed at her tone of voice, guilty at having let him manage to go off on his own and for not taking this seriously.

Everyone was silent when the young man in question appeared from orbs at an alarming rate, only to fall onto the floor, unconscious.

"Chris," Paige yelled.

"Bianca," he mumbled refusing to wake up.

* * *

"Maybe this happened for a reason," Andy said only to be stared down by Prue. "All I mean is that Phoebe's finally getting access to his thoughts and feelings," he said to the group as Leo tried to heal Chris.

"He's not healing. Something's draining his powers and blocking mine. It's like a virus."

"A virus named Bianca," Piper said.

Phoebe turned to Piper. "You think she did this?"

"It's gotta be."

"So what are we thinking about this whole mess," Paige asked.

"She has to be some kind of hired mercenary," Leo said. "The phoenixes are assassins. Someone obviously wants him dead. The question is who?"

"Wyatt," Prue said in a small voice from the spot she was sitting at next to Chris. "This girl came from the future, that's why when Phoebe scried for her she found Bianca as a little girl. We already know he's taken Chris prisoner before," she said, her voice strangely void of emotion.

"So he wants Chris back," Paige asked. "Why wouldn't he come back himself if that were the case?"

"And risk a coup? Too dangerous," Phoebe said. "Besides, this was more effective."

"How so," Andy asked.

"He sent back to one person who could catch him off guard. The woman he loves," Piper said answering for her sister.

"And she broke his heart," Prue said.

* * *

The sisters quickly located Bianca after finding Chris missing from their home. They had been busy in the kitchen talking strategy and preparing healing salves and potions when they had heard and crash, and went running to the conservatory to find the coffee table broken and Chris gone. When all four arrived they could see that they had interrupted a stare down that was both intense and awkward.

Piper threw a potion that Bianca smashed by throwing an athame through the air, shimmering out and in just in time to grab it and push it into Prue's neck.

"Uh-uh. I can kill her in half the time it takes you to even think about it," she said when the other three went to throw more potions.

"Bianca, don't. Let her go and I promise I'll go with you."

"Chris, what are you doing," Paige reprimanded him.

"If you kill her, there won't be a future for either one of us to go back to and you know it."

Chris and Bianca moved over to the wall with the chalk tracing of the triquetra and Piper tried to freeze them.

"Uh, okay, I get why she didn't freeze but why didn't he freeze?"

"I don't- Unless he's a..." Phoebe stammered.

"I'm a witch too. That's right. Part witch, part Whitelighter. Just like you, Paige."

"You lied to us?"

"I had to. It was the only way I could get you to trust me."

"Trust you," Phoebe cried out.

"Never mind, it doesn't matter anyway."

Piper looked at him in disbelief. "So that's it? You're just gonna leave?"

"I don't have a choice. She strip my powers. Looks like Leo's gonna have to fix that floorboard without me. Let's go," he said to Bianca.

* * *

"Oh my god, Prue. You're his biggest supporter and you aren't mad at him for lying to us?"

"No, because unlike you I was listening to what he was trying to tell us."

"What was he trying to tell us," Paige said incredulously.

"There was a message in everything he said. Look, he told us he doesn't have his powers, we know he's going back to the future, he said Leo would have to fix the floorboard by himself," she said ticking off her fingers as she counted her points. "He was trying to make sure we took the hint. We can put a spell in the floor board so he gets it in the future, this way he isn't totally powerless when he faces Wyatt," she said already looking up the spell in the book of shadows.

* * *

"Et tu, Chris? Of all the people to betray me."

"I didn't go back to betray you, Wyatt. I went back to save you."

* * *

Paige ran over to help him up."Oh my god, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Nice spell."

"Yeah, but we just put it in there like two seconds ago," Phoebe told him.

"Yeah, well, you see, the way time travel works..." Leo tried to explain.

"Yeah, I don't wanna know, I already have a little headache. Thanks."

"Why don't you go to bed," Prue said before her sisters could question him. "You look like you need some shut eye."

"Thanks," he said and made his way to Wyatt's nursery where he had been staying. "If I can't save you, I swear to god I'll stop you."

"Why'd you let him get away with everything," Phoebe said.

"Because I already know who he is," Prue said.

"Then why haven't you told us," Piper demanded. "Who is he?"

"He's my son."


	8. Chapter 8

"He's your what," Andy said slowly, his jaw clenched and his fists curled. The sisters were standing in the attic with Leo, and Andy was standing in the doorway, having just come back from checking on Wyatt.

"Andy," Prue said taking a step toward him; he orbed out before she could make her way to him. Turning back to her sisters and Leo, they cocked their heads in different directions either staring at the ceiling or the floor, but avoiding her gaze.

* * *

Prue was lying on her side and rubbing her stomach when her door creaked open and Paige appeared. "I, uh, brought you some hot chocolate," Paige said and put it on her night stand. Prue turned onto her back and patted her side, motioning her sister to lie down with her. Paige snuggled in and placed her hand on Prue's belly. "Hi, little Christopher."

"Shh, I just got him to stop kicking."

"Sorry," Paige whispered to her nephew. "Have you heard from Andy?"

"No, but Darryl called. They're at a bar," Prue told Paige.

"Andy? Seriously? Didn't know he had it in him."

"Yeah, well, he's seriously pissed at me right now. I should have told him the truth."

"So why didn't you?"

"Chris doesn't even know that I know. How could I tell all of you and expect to earn his trust? I mean, I'm his mother and he won't even trust me with that information. And let's face it, it's not like Phoebe can keep a secret."

"That's…true," Paige said before they heard a resounding thud come from outside Prue's door.

"Phoebe!" Piper was yelling at her sister for ruining their eavesdropping.

"Uh, just come in," Paige yelled, and her older sisters marched in a climbed on the bed with them.

Piper came in carrying Melinda, who at one month old was one of the prettiest babies the sisters had ever seen. Passing her to Phoebe, Piper returned her attention to Prue and pinched her.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"You could at least have told me! I'm not Phoebe, you know. I can keep my mouth shut," Piper said and received a slight slap from her younger sister.

"Before we beat a broken a horse, let's just ask how you know Chris is your son if he hasn't actually told you," Paige said.

"I just knew. He just reminded me of…"

"Wyatt," Pheebs suggested.

"Me," Prue said with a laugh. "Determined, overprotective, single minded in his obsession about whatever evil gets to Wyatt. I've been there…I'm still there with you guys. The way he pursues every possible outcome, doesn't allow himself to overthrow his logic…who else could he have come from if not me?"

"I see your point," Paige said and giggled when Prue started to tickle her. "Stop! I take it back."

"You knew, just from that?" Phoebe was staring strangely at Prue. She liked to think that if her child had come back from the future that she would know, but the truth was she wasn't sure of that. There was something about Prue, the pure instinct and wisdom and knowledge that Phoebe admired and envied. Phoebe may have been the one with the power to see the future, but it was Prue that had this omniscient ability to just know. She figured that was why Prue was the oldest; apart of what made Prue the strongest.

"Yeah, I knew just from that." Prue readjusted her position on the bed so she was sitting against the headboard. "Just like I know from the way he looks at me that I'm not around in the future."

* * *

Andy crept into the manor around half past three in the morning. He could sense the sisters were altogether which was fine by him; he'd be spending the night on the couch, anyway. A little tipsy and stumbling, he managed to climb up the stairs. He didn't want to attempt orbing right now as his perception was just a tad bit off.

Walking past his bedroom where the door was ajar, he could see all four fighting for space on the king sized bed. His anger was abated for a moment, and then reared its ugly head stronger than ever. He walked into Wyatt's nursery where Chris had been staying and hauled him out of bed.

* * *

There was screaming and shouting, and all four of the sisters were unsure of how they had gone from lying in bed together to the commotion going on in the nursery. Wyatt was screaming; sisters were yelling.

"Let him go!" Paige screamed trying to yank Andy's arm away from Chris's throat.

"Leo! Leo!"

"Chris! Andy get off of him!"

Leo arrived with Cole and the two pried the drunk Andy away from the young whitelighter.

"What the hell do you think you're doing," Cole yelled and shoved Andy out of the nursery and shutting the door behind him and Leo.

Piper walked over to the babies and picked up Melinda who was crying up a storm. "Shh, it's okay little baby, shh," she said rocking her newborn.

"What the hell was that about," Chris said in between huffed breaths.

The sisters looked at him and back to Prue, who was sitting in the rocking chair with Wyatt on top of her enlarged stomach. Looking up at Chris, Prue continued to rock Wyatt just a minute longer.

"He knows," was all she said.

"Knows what?"

"That you're our son."

Chris looked at her in disbelief before orbing out.

* * *

"What the hell is going on," Leo yelled. "He's a whitelighter, Andy. He's your son. What were you thinking?"

Leo, Andy and Cole were over at Leo's place, sitting in the magnificent kitchen that could only belong to Piper. Cole was making coffee and Leo was trying to talk some sense into his friend who was not so sober.

"He let something get to Wyatt…"

Cole threw a mug and shattered Leo's and Andy's conversation. "Are you listening to yourself, you damn idiot! He's your son; your younger son. He traveled back to make sure it never happens and you're blaming him for something out of his control! Where were you, Andy? Wyatt is your son; your responsibility! Where were you?"

* * *

Paige and Henry were eating take-out at his apartment during their lunch hour. They had been rotating over the past week between meeting at social services and the police precinct.

"Do you think Prue's gonna let Andy come home soon," Henry asked.

Paige withdrew her chopsticks from her mouth and chewed quickly. "I don't know. She's brought Wyatt over to Darryl's house so he could see him, but I think she's still a little shook up."

"I just can't imagine Andy hitting anyone," Henry said. "And your cousin didn't do anything to antagonize him?"

"Chris? No, he's an angel," Paige said. "It just came out of nowhere. Prue's still not sure if she feels safe with Andy in the house right now. "

"Has he ever…" Henry let his sentence die there with a strained facial expression.

"Hmm? Oh, god no. He's never hit her or anyone else," Paige said. "They're just going through a tough time, you know with the added stress of a new baby and all. I think she'll let him come home in a couple of weeks."

"Good, poker hasn't been the same since he got kicked out."

"Prue hasn't exactly been happy either."

"So, are you going to stay with your sister or get your own place," Henry ventured.

"Umm, probably stay and act as a live in nanny," she joked.

"It's gonna start getting crowded in the next couple of years, what with two little boys plus anymore kids they decide to have."

"Yeah, I guess," she said not knowing where this was going.

"I have more than enough space just in case you need to get away."

"Oh, I see where you're going with this," she said putting down the chopsticks. "It's not enough you cornered me into a mature adult relationship against my will, now you want to up the ante and raise the level of seriousness. What's next, a proposal?"

"Well…"

Paige pushed her chair back and stood up, grabbing her purse off of the floor. "I'll talk to you late," she said, kissed his cheek and left.

"Paige," he called after her but the door slammed and he winced. "Too soon," he asked himself wincing.

* * *

A month had past and Phoebe was only two weeks away from her due date. Phoebe had tried crafting for the baby but the truth was she was not good at any of it…so she asked Piper to do it. Her favorite piece was a blanket her sister had made; white fleece with a pale pink satin trim and Pearl's name sewn on in big, scripted letters from a country rose pattern. It reminded her of the blanket she had shared with her three sisters.

Prue and Chris were over, assembling the last pieces for the nursery while Cole worked. The room was still as beautiful as ever, especially with the addition of a large antique frame that held a portrait of one of the rare photos of Patty and Phoebe. It was off to the left side, with a enough room to add a portrait of Phoebe and Pearl. It had been Chris's gift to his aunt.

Andy was still staying at Darryl's, but he and Chris had started to become friendly to one another, though Chris had certainly inherited his Aunt Paige's sarcasm. Prue was going to wait until the baby was born to let Andy move back in, just to avoid any future issues.

As far as the issues that had caused Chris to come back, it had taken a visit from Victor to get the young man to talk to his mother like she actually existed again. Prue still didn't know the circumstances of her death, but had decided that destiny would get its way, whether it changed or remained the same. She was better off not knowing.

The family was still after the being that would be responsible for turning Wyatt in the future. Whoever it was had cloaked themselves well, and Prue was starting to have doubts about their investigation.

"Are you excited about almost being done," Chris asked his aunt.

"Extremely, I want my little witchling in my arms, and I wouldn't mind not having the forty extra pounds weighing me down and giving me my own orbit. How about you, Prue?"

"I still have another month to go. Leo did have some good news, though."

"What did uncle Leo say?"

"The elders are worried about the entire Wyatt situation and they don't want to leave me and Andy vulnerable, so they've decided that they are going to allow one of their own to come down and cast some protective magic and supervise the birth. Obviously, I can't go to the hospital, what with Wyatt appearing in swaddling orbs."

"They're coming down for my birth? They didn't do that for Wyatt," he said smirking; Chris had a tad bit of an inferiority complex.

"And look what happened there, I was held hostage by an evil sorcerer who wanted to raise Wyatt evil."

"You don't think—" Chris said looking at his mother.

"No, we killed them sons of bitches," Pheebs said.

"So which elder are they sending down," Chris asked.

"Your uncle Leo's mentor, a guy named Gideon. He's really excited to meet the family. Apparently he stood up for Leo and Piper when they wanted to get married, so I like him more than the others."

"I can't wait to meet him," Phoebe said. "We haven't met an elder yet."

"Count your blessings," Chris said snidely. "They're not that cool."


	9. Chapter 9

"False labor, _again_," Paige said in disbelief. She was standing in the hospital emergency room with Phoebe and Cole after frantically orbing them there since Cole no longer had powers.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Paige," Pheebs said in her baby voice. "I really thought Pearl was going to make an appearance."

"Well, you heard the doctor. It can happen any moment now that you're past thirty eight weeks," Cole said. "Let's just get home."

The three turned a corner and found an empty room to orb from. Declining Phoebe's offer to cook her an early breakfast –as well as the food poisoning that would come with it—Paige walked outside and decided to stroll around the neighborhood.

It was four in the morning and the stars were still out. A calm, refreshing breeze rolled by and Paige wrapped her arms around herself. It was beautiful, and Paige was glad to have this moment alone with nature. Finishing up her walk, she made her way back to the manor and to her bed for some much needed rest.

* * *

"Come out, little baby," Piper said to her sister's stomach. "Auntie Piper will knit you little booties and teach you how to bake chocolate chip cookies and all sorts of things."

"Still not here," Prue said walking down the stairs. "How many times have you had Braxton hicks, now?"

"Three," Phoebe told her big sister. "And I'm getting really tired of it."

"So am I," Paige said orbing into her seat. "Where's the grub?"

"It's coming, it's coming," Piper said. "Anyone care to give me a hand?"

Paige grinned and called out; "food!" The feast appeared in a show of white starlets and the sisters –two of which were heavily pregnant—chowed down. "This is delicious!"

"Ow," Prue said clutching her stomach.

"What's wrong," Phoebe asked.

"Chris just got me right in the kidney."

"I remember those," Piper said.

* * *

Prue was setting up Wyatt's nursery for the new addition; setting up the old bassinet telekinetically at the same time that she put up a book case and hung family photos. She turned at the knock on the door and smiled. "Come on in. What's going on?"

"I just wanted to talk about dad," Chris said walking in. "I think you should let him come home."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I mean, he's sorry about what he did and we've been doing a lot of talking. We just needed to clear the air between us."

"Well, I'm glad you've done that but I just don't know that it's a good time right now."

"What better time? I'm going to be born God knows when," he said smirking – he had refused to tell his mother his birthday—"and whatever is after Wyatt is still out there. I mean, the guy wasn't even sober when it happened. Alcohol has a funny effect on some people."

"Is he a good father," Prue asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Is he a good father? I know he's a good man, but that doesn't mean anything to me if he's not a good father. I was raised without a father, and I can raise my children without one if that's what's best for them. Victor was never around, mom was gone. I basically did everything myself so I know I can do that. Just tell me if I need to."

"No. He was a good dad. He went to every game, school play, and graduation. He never made me feel unloved or second best. Dad loved me just as much as any other child of his, even after…"

"Even after… I die," Prue asked.

"That may not happen," Chris whispered.

"But it might," she said. Chris walked towards her and hugged her while she cried silently.

"Don't push him away because you think it's better to do it now. He's never disappointed you before; don't make him now because you're afraid to hurt him."

* * *

"Hi, Prue." Andy bent down to kiss her cheek and she led him to the dining table.

"I hope you don't mind, but take out is my best recipe," Prue said dishing out Chinese food.

"You do it so well," he joked nervously. It had been weeks since he'd been back in the manor. The truth was that he wasn't proud of his behavior. During the months that Chris had been here, Andy could tell that something was being hidden from him, but strangely he knew that the stranger from the future wasn't the one hiding things. It was Prue. So when he found out that she already knew something it felt as if they were back at the beginning of their relationship; Prue just hiding another secret that kept coming in between them.

"I think it's time for you to come home," Prue said.

* * *

"Leo," Piper called. She was walking back and forth in the nursery, bouncing a fussy Melinda. "Leo!"

A column of flying orbs appeared and Leo formed. "What's the matter?"

"I think she has a fever," she told her husband. "Do I call the doctor?" Piper was still a little nervous about being a new mother. Three months had made her better at handling the newborn during a regular day, but she had yet to deal with a sick child.

Holding his hand out to Melinda's forehead, a soft glow emanated from the whitelighter's hand and quickly disappeared. "There. Daddy's little princess should be feeling much better, huh baby," he said in a goofy voice and took her from Piper's arms.

"What about letting her form her immunities like a normal child, you know," Piper said a little aggravated.

"Melinda isn't a normal child, are you sweet pea," he said to a giggling infant.

A door slammed downstairs and Phoebe called up, "Hello? Piper, are you home?"

"Be right there!" Taking the stairs to down to the kitchen, Piper found Phoebe and Cole sitting at her new island. "Hey guys, what do you need?"

"Remember how we found a list of homeopathic remedies for inducing labor," Phoebe asked. "I need you to brew up everything you can."

"Are you sure about this? Pearl will come in her own time."

"This is the slowest moving child of all time," Phoebe replied. "I'm 38 weeks which means the baby is perfectly healthy. It's me; my feet are swollen, I have my own orbit. I can't take it anymore. Please," she begged, "please do this for me. If you're missing any herbs or ingredients Cole can walk over to the manor and get them."

"It's okay, I stocked up last week when Prue and I went shopping," she said and started brewing things.

* * *

"This is really good," Andy said. "Spicy, but good."

"Thanks, it's from this new place in China town. Piper and I found it last week when we went shopping for herbs and supplies. Apparently Chris likes anything hot."

"I kind of figured when we saw Bianca," he joked and received a quick punch to his arm. "Ouch, that hurt."

Prue gasped and held her stomach. "Speaking of hurt, Chris is kicking up a storm. It must be all the spicy food."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think it's his way of telling me he's done with the take out."

"Well, do you have any other plans for the night?"

"No. Why?"

"How would you feel about a movie?"

"You mean a date? I'd love to," she said and Andy helped her up. "Ah," she said and reached to hold onto the table.

"What's wrong?" Concern was etched in every line on his face.

"My water just broke."

* * *

"How is this fair," Phoebe asked while sitting on the settee in Prue's bedroom. "I'm nine months pregnant and you're the one in labor," she cried.

"Phoebe," Paige scolded.

"Chris," Prue said. "Someone needs to go get Chris. He isn't answering any of my calls. He should be here."

"Where did he run off to," Piper said.

"He said something about meeting with some kind of informant," Andy told them. "He was looking into whoever turns Wyatt."

"Okay," Paige said, "Piper and I will go upstairs and scry for him so we can bring him home."

"Can I leave Mel in Wyatt's nursery?"

"Sure, but where's Leo," Andy asked.

"He went to go get Gideon so he could escort him to earth. Apparently it's extremely rare for an elder to expose himself and they don't want to take any risks," Piper explained. "Paige and I will be back as soon as possible."

"Phoebe," Prue called. "I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"Set up the crystals in the nursery for protection and stay with the babies. There's the rocking chair and ottoman in there so you can put your feet up, but stay with Wyatt."

"Alright, call me if you need anything," she said before walking down the hall.

Andy and Prue were the only two left in the room and Prue breathed through another contraction. "Andy," she said holding her husband's hand, "something's not right."

"With the baby," he asked frantically.

"I don't know. Something is off," she barely finished saying before Leo orbed in the room with a tall older stranger with dark hair.

"Prue, this is Gideon, my mentor. He's here to help protect you and the children during your labor," Leo told her.

"Ahh," she squeezed her husband's hand during another painful contraction.

"Leo, Andy, why don't you go downstairs and get me the herbs off this list," Gideon said providing them with a shopping list.

"The girls don't usually keep a lot of these ingredients," Leo said.

"They're very important for the rituals I need to perform. To keep her safe, you understand. See if you can find them at any of the shops the girls usually go to. I'll watch over her."

"There's a lot of stuff we need to get," Leo said. "It might be better if we split up," he said tearing the list and handing the other half to Andy. "I'll meet you back here when we're done."

Andy and Leo left, leaving Prue with Gideon and a sinking feeling in her stomach.

* * *

Paige and Piper had been unsuccessful at finding Chris. Scrying wasn't coming up with anything and all they knew was that he was talking to someone on his hit list. They orbed to Piper's club, where the young man liked to work on his theories, and rifled through his papers.

"These are like crazy conspiracy theories," Paige said waving a handful of papers at her sister. "Like spooky, cosmic and karmic theories about how and why Wyatt is turned. Why didn't he ever show this to us?"

"Probably because he thought we wouldn't listen. What do they say?"

"He's got conspiracy theories involving everyone from the source to the angel of destiny. Questions if someone higher up in the hierarchy used their power to position Wyatt into an evil destiny for their own gain."

"Someone who has a lot of power and influence over us, right?"

"Yeah," Paige said. "Why do you ask?"

"If Chris is right, this person would be someone close to us. Someone who would know how to place us all in the right position to get close to Wyatt, especially when we're the most vulnerable."

"Okay, Piper. You've got crazy eyes right now, what are you thinking?"

"If Chris is right, the more likely choice would be someone we would never suspect; someone we might even go to for advice, and whom we trust. Just like an Elder. You know, the one who is with Prue and Wyatt right now."

"Oh, my god," Paige said realizing the impact of these words. "We left them alone with the person who wants to hurt them the most. What do we do?"

"We find Chris, first and foremost. It makes sense that Gideon wants us all out of the way so he's probably behind Chris's sudden disappearance. We can't alarm Leo and Andy because Andy would go crazy, and we don't need that, and Leo won't believe us. They were already gone when we went back to tell Prue we couldn't find Chris so they're out of harm's way. Whatever we do, we have to keep him unaware."

"And how are we gonna find Chris," Paige asked.

"We're witches, Paige. We're gonna write a spell."

* * *

"What are you doing," Prue asked.

Gideon conjured herbs and supplies with the wave of an arm. "I'm getting ready for the protection ritual I will cast."

"Isn't that what you sent Leo and Andy for?"

"Oh, my dear Prudence, I'll be performing a lot of powerful magic today. There's still much to be done yet."

"Like what?"

"You'll just have to see."


	10. Chapter 10

"Be he far or be he near, bring us our nephew, Christopher, here," they chanted. Wind gathered and sped around the room before dying down into nothing.

"That's our third spell, why isn't this working," Piper asked.

"I don't know," Paige said. "We've specifically requested Chris in each and every spell so there shouldn't be any confusion."

"So if spells don't work, what do we do now?"

"Chris could be anyway right now; another plane, another country, the underworld…we don't have time to search everywhere when we've left our sister alone with our _nemesis_," Paige rambled.

"Okay, what if we're going about this all wrong," Piper said. "We've been trying to summon him but what if he's someplace where magic can't escape? We should be trying to bring us to him."

"Okay, but then how do we get out?"

"Remember when Prue went into super witch mode?"

Paige nodded her head. "Of course, she made enough potions for us that we haven't needed to cook any up in three months."

"Including that handy little potion that she made all four of us bless with the power of three. We have to get to the manor and grab whatever's left of it; it's strong enough to break whatever magic is keeping us from Chris."

"So we're gonna sneak in and hope Gideon doesn't realize we're there?"

"Exactly. Get in, get out; break," she said clapping her hands and the two orbed back to the manor.

* * *

"Andy," Leo called from in between a dark alley. "Andy!"

The whitelighter formed behind Leo with several small shopping bags hanging from his arms. "What's up?"

Leo turned to face him. "Are you having any luck finding these herbs? I've hit all of the local shops and can't find anything."

"Now that you mention it I have had some trouble. No one seems to carry the items on my list and some old Chinese lady yelled at me and kicked me out when I asked her about calabar bean," he told his brother in-law.

"Calabar bean? That's not right," Leo said. "That's not medicinal, it's poison."

"What do you mean," Andy said starting to feel angry at the suspicions starting to arise.

"Back when magic was considered satanic," Leo began in the same tone he always used to shine light on any old world knowledge he was privy to, "when witchcraft was means for someone to be executed, calabar bean was used in order to make a judgment as to someone's innocence. Kind of like the wives tale that witches would float when thrown in the water, neither of which is true. It actually poisons the system."

"Why or how could it prove innocence or guilt?"

"It was used in what were called trials by ordeal, by which there were two ways someone could be proven innocent. The defendant was thought innocent if they survived the torture they underwent and their injuries healed. However, some believed that the innocent couldn't survive and therefore only death was proof of innocence."

"That's not even logical," Andy replied.

"It was a more rigid time of faith and a belief in a higher power," Leo rebutted. "Some thought God would step in and provide a miracle for the innocent so it relieved them of any guilt or wrongdoing."

"Still, that doesn't explain why Gideon would want this herb. It doesn't have any magical use so how does it help protect Prue and Wyatt," he demanded.

"It's thought to prove innocence," Leo said. "Maybe he hasn't been as honest about his motives."

* * *

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word. Auntie's gonna buy you a fast sports car. And if that car doesn't go that far, then Aunties gonna get real mad and make you laugh."

Phoebe had been singing for the last thirty minutes while rocking a fussy Wyatt back and forth through the nursery. Amazingly enough Melinda was managing to sleep through it. Still, Phoebe had gone through every verse several times and was starting to get tired and make things up.

Shifting him from one hip to another, the heavily pregnant woman sat down in the rocker and ran her hand through the baby's downy soft hair. "Why are you so cranky today, huh?" Wyatt just kept crying.

* * *

"Damn it," Piper yelled. "If we can't get to Chris then we need to get to someone else who can help."

"Like who," Paige asked in a snarky tone. "Phoebe and Prue are in the manor with the very person we might be trying to vanquish, and you said yourself that Leo is probably not going to believe us," she pointed out.

"Well, he's going to have to. We have no option now. Someone out there has to be able to help us save our sister and nephews."

Paige and Piper stared at each other for a moment before letting it finally sink in. They weren't going to find Chris before this all went down, and they needed help.

"LEO!"

* * *

"What are you doing," Prue asked weakly. Sometime in the last hour her contractions had become much more painful than what she had ever experienced with Wyatt. Never in her life had she felt so weak before. "What's going on?"

Gideon brushed her face with a lukewarm rag. "Don't worry, dear. All shall be as it was meant in a short manner of time."

As he spoke she felt the darkness settle on her and the outside world became a hazy memory. The only thing she knew was that her family was in danger and she didn't have the ability to protect them like she always had.

* * *

The four stood around each other like separate parts of a compass, arguing for each possible direction this little scenario could go in. "We have to get back to the manor," Piper said. "We're the strongest there."

"And if you go in without a plan than you could get Prue and everyone else dead," Paige said.

"How do you plan against a source you know nothing about," Andy argued. "We know what he's after, we know who he's after and all of us know that he has us exactly where he wants; away. Every single one of us played into his plot and now he has my wife and children."

"Alright, but we need to figure out what we do first," Leo reminded them. "Once we're in we have a very small window to go about this."

"First things first," Paige said, "We have to get to Phoebe and the kids. They were safe the last time we were there but it's not gonna last long. Gideon's gonna find a way around the crystals and Wyatt's energy force field."

"Leo, when we orb in grab the kids and take them to Dad's. Prue and I activated a protective alarm system once he started babysitting. They'll be safe there," Piper told her husband.

"Then what," Andy questioned.

"Do either of you know how an elder would stop being an elder," Paige asked the two men.

"Prue, Prue," the voice called from far away. "You have to wake up," he beckoned. "Fight this, fight him. You're the only one that can do this now."

She struggled through the restraints of the forced sleep, like wading through a marsh. "I can't," she said fighting to get every sound out of her mouth.

"You have to," the voice said.

* * *

They orbed in the doorway to the nursery and Paige used her powers to orb one of the crystals away. Leo grabbed Wyatt from Phoebe and reached over the crib to find his daughter, orbing as soon as he made physical contact. His orbs swirled higher and higher but bounced off the ceiling and scattered his orbs until he took shape again with two crying babies.

"What's going on," Phoebe said completely unaware.

"The purification has begun," Gideon said standing in the hallway. No one had noticed him approaching, but they did notice all of the entrances and exits sealing the inhabitants off from the rest of the world.

Stalking towards them, he reached out a hand and planned to breach the broken barrier when the last crystal orbed from Paige's hand without the required vocalization. Gideon was repelled by the field but calmly stood up. "You can only stay in there for so long before I find a way to pierce the protective circle. Besides, if you stay in there who will save your sister?" He looked back and forth between all of the players before making his way back to the eldest charmed one.

"What the hell is going on," Phoebe asked.

* * *

"Hide," the voice told her. She didn't know how long she had been asleep or how long it had been since he started giving her orders. All she knew was that she had to listen; something was telling her that if she didn't, she would never hear that voice call her mom again.

Footsteps signaled her captor's return and she could hear his angry swear as he searched for her in the bathroom and beside the bed. Waiting, she heard the door knob to her closet turn and clarity rushed to her as the adrenaline flooded her brain. Squinting her eyes, still sluggish from the effects of her sleep despite the sudden wave of adrenaline, Prue sent Gideon hurtling through the air before managing to disappear into thin air.

* * *

"So what you're telling me is that it was Gideon this whole time," Phoebe asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, and now we're trapped like rats," Paige said before Piper smacked her in the arm.

"You're not helping," Piper said as they heard a crash. "Prue," Piper yelled before kicking a crystal aside and running out of the nursery.

Running into the bedroom, Piper saw Gideon lying unconscious on the floor. Prue was nowhere to be found.

* * *

"Where am I," she asked herself before turning around and finding him standing there. "Chris, what are you doing here; _where_ is here," she asked.

"It's another realm," he answered her. "One that exists closely to your own but made up of the things that never got to happen in your world. It's where I come from," he told her.

"What do you mean; it's where you come from? Aren't you from my world? You're my son," Prue said.

"No, no I'm not," he told her and was met with surprised eyes. "I let you think that because you're right in one way; I do come from you." Chris grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers. "Don't you feel it?"

All of a sudden she was overcome with feelings of past resentments, lost and found loves, burdens and responsibilities that felt as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. Staring at him, with tears in her eyes, she found her answer. "You're not my son," she asked. Chris nodded his head.

"You're me?" Prue lost control of her voice and it came out strangled.

"I'm you," he replied. "I share the same soul as you, anyway."

"How is this possible?"

"This realm is made of things that went a little differently here than in your world. In between your world and the next, it's where beings or things come when they have lost their place in either world. I lived in a world where you died before Paige was reunited with your sisters. Power shifted and Piper gave birth to the son that was always meant to be yours; Wyatt, successor to your magical heritage and title as the strongest witch. When Piper became pregnant again your soul was recycled and I was born; named Christopher after Leo's father."

"Then how are you in this inbetween? Why did you come to me?"

"I also traveled back in time to save Wyatt in my world. Only, in saving Wyatt I changed my future and although some version of me got to enjoy that peaceful future, I was the product of a time and circumstances that ceased to exist. As that timeline faded away so did I and I came here. It felt like purgatory; as if I wasn't done with my mission and I knew I had to come here and finish what I started," he told her.

"You wanted to finish saving Wyatt," she said.

"That's right. Whether as his mother or his brother, something in our very being caused us to be in his life to make sure he was always protected. That's what we do, right," he joked and Prue laughed against her will.

"What about Bianca?"

Chris looked down and shook his head. "Neither of us got the ending we should have. I might not exist in your world in this magnificently handsome form, but Bianca still exists. Somehow Wyatt knew about the visitor from another world who came to rescue him and he cast a spell on Bianca so she would have all of the memories of the Bianca I knew. She was a means to an end for him; a way to get to me. He was never going to let her get out alive but he wanted to know who I really was and what I knew. The spell you sent saved me."

"Wait, so you knew this whole time that it was Gideon? How could you not tell us if it meant protecting Wyatt?"

"You have to understand. The life I lived was a long time ago…well, for me anyway. I don't really know how time works in the inbetween. I remembered the significant parts of my life like my family and Bianca. When I found out about Gideon I was already starting to cease to exist in that world. I kept random thoughts and snapshots of the end that didn't make sense to me until I returned here again. It was like a part of myself was locked away; like how trauma victims block out hurtful memories."

"Well, why have you been gone all day?"

"The closer we come to saving Wy, the closer I come to finally living out my purpose. I'm ceasing to exist and my magic is running out. It caused me to be pulled back here for my big finale," he joked.

"I'm sorry," Prue told him. "It's not fair that I get to continue living, and you have to experience…"

"Ceasing to exist?" Chris tilted her chin up, forcing her to look in his eyes. "It's not so bad; I'm finally getting to know what peace feels like. Besides, I'm not really going anywhere. I'm apart of you that was taken away for a time. From whence I came so shall I return."

"How am I going to do this without you?"

"With your sisters," he answered before bright white lights engulfed him and he faded away.

* * *

Prue appeared back in the manor to find a battleground. Standing smack dab in the middle of the attic, her sisters were thrown left and right and Gideon stood over Wyatt, whose shield was protecting him and suddenly faltered.

"No," she cried and flung him away from her child. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige struggled to reach her and stand behind her when all of a sudden Gideon was surrounded by heavy gusts of wind that tore and ripped his clothes, aging his skin and adding gray to his hair. The bricks holding them hostage vanished and light filled the attic.

"What's happening," Paige asked.

Andy appeared from a corner of the attic where he had been thrown, gathering Prue and Wyatt in his arms. "He's fallen from grace. He turned his back on protecting the greater good when he decided to take it upon himself to punish the guilty, even though Wyatt hadn't done anything. It stripped him of his immortality and powers."

"That's how you stop being an elder," Phoebe asked.

"Yep," Andy said before Sandra appeared before them.

"I'm taking Gideon back," she told them. "His soul will be recycled and he'll never be able to cause any of the harm he planned to today," Sandra said as Gideon was forcefully removed from the Halliwell manor.

Andy healed the sisters and Piper managed to wake Leo up from his injuries during the fight they had while trying to keep him away from Wyatt.

"Hello," Prue cried clutching her stomach. "I'm in labor here," she said as everyone bustled around her in preparation for the arrival of the littlest Halliwell.

* * *

"Who'd of thunk it," Paige said. "A red head in the family," she said rocking baby Christopher from side to side. "First a blonde, now a redhead; the next one is gonna be a brunette," Paige predicted.

"I don't get how this cute little baby is going to turn into big Chris," Phoebe said rubbing her belly.

"He's not," Prue said and everyone's attention turned to her. "They're not the same person."

"What do you mean," Piper asked and everyone listened to Prue's astonishing tale of magic and sacrifice.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: This is the end...so as you can see, I found a way to put a twist in the previous chapter. Chris Perry really isn't Prue's son from the future, dun dun dun, but he is the son of Piper in the world where Prue died; as well as a reincarnation of Prue. I did have Prue name her second son after him; I thought about giving her a daughter but realized I said she was having a son before I even introduced Chris into this story. So...both are named Chris but baby Christopher is a different character. I really kind of hurried through the story and I'm sorry if it reads that way. My initial intentions were to show snapshots of how life would be different if Prue survived and somehow I conned myself into adding season six's plot as an unexpected twist that took over the entire story. That's why I am ending the story on a lighter note. I will write more for this series, and maybe focus on some of the other sisters a little bit more. I said MAYBE. Prue is still my favorite.

"Well, girls, I must say that you've done an absolutely wonderful job here," Grams said over the two bassinettes that held her newest grandson and granddaughter.

Phoebe went into labor two days after baby Christopher was born. Just like Prue had delivered Piper's daughter and Phoebe had delivered Prue's two sons, Paige finally got a turn and was officially the godmother of Pearl Ann Turner, a beauty with dark chocolate curls and the same crystal blue eyes as his father.

Prue and Phoebe had decided to have a joint wiccaning for their children, and Grams had only just been summoned to officiate the event. Paige had invited Henry to the family event after finally revealing the big family secret which had taken Henry a while to get used to. He didn't freak out or shout or faint like others would have, and Paige finally let her guard down.

"So why Christopher, Prue? Why not Allan after your grandfather? Now _he_ was truly a good man," Penny reminisced.

"I named him Christopher," Prue explained, "after another exceptional young man."

"Way to toot your own horn," Paige walked in with the click of her jimmy choos and leading Henry by hand. "You and Grams have too much in common," she told them.

"Like what, my dear," Grams asked in her usual hoity toity manner.

"Pride is your sin," Phoebe said remembering a fight they had once had.

"And who are you, young man?"

"Grams, play nice," Piper said walking into the attic. "He's Paige's boyfriend."

"Hm. A mortal, I take it. That's alright," she said refusing to be interrupted by all four girls' rebuttals. "You obviously have good taste, um…"

"Henry," he said and offered his hand.

"And manners," she added. "Let's get this show on the road and then we can all get to brunch. I want to hear all about this exceptional young man, Prudence."

* * *

They sat around a giant table at Piper's house where she had prepared there food earlier that day. Christopher, Wyatt, Melinda and Pearl were napping in the next room and the adults were all enjoying a nice, normal family occasion for once.

Time went on as everyone caught up on work and family stories; plans for vacations and days off. Soon it was time for everyone to go and Prue held baby Christopher while Andy took Wyatt and the four made their way back to the manor.

"Penny for your thoughts," her husband said later that night while they were in bed.

Prue rolled over to look at him and finally scooched over and placed her head on his chest. "I'm just thinking about what else could be right now instead of this. Somewhere else," she hesitated for a moment and then continued, "I don't exist anymore. I mean in some way I do, in Chris," she explained. "But what about our Chris? Who would he have been?"

"We'll never know," Andy told her. "All we can do is be here with our boys and hope that they turn out half as strong as you and your sisters are. I don't think we have to worry about that, though."

"I know; it just got me thinking." Prue kissed him and they lay together until sleep came. Life was certainly much different for Prue in this world and she wondered why she had been saved in this reality and not the one Chris was from. She wondered what else had changed when her sisters had been left to protect themselves. All she could hope was that they could get everything right in this time and place.


End file.
